United Kingdom
Dr Ioannis Papadopoulos is a Greek National. Following the attainment of his bachelor’s degree in law from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, School of Law, he pursued advanced studies at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, School of Law, culminating in the completion of an LL.M. in ‘Forensics, Criminology, and Law’. Subsequently, he earned his Ph.D. from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Portsmouth, UK. For over a decade he has been practicing law and collaborating extensively with international and Greek humanitarian organizations, providing legal aid and counselling on asylum procedures to vulnerable migrant populations. He has participated in a plethora of international academic conferences; chaired panels; presented research papers; delivered lectures in law and criminology to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as training sessions to practitioners in the humanitarian sector and published his work in the area of criminology and children’s rights in the migration context. He presently serves as external reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals specializing in migration and refugee studies and holds the esteemed position of Chair of the European Society of Criminology Working Group on ‘Qualitative Research Methodologies and Epistemologies (WG-QRME)'. Moreover, he is member of the European Society of Criminology Working Group on ‘Immigration, Crime, and Citizenship’; member of the editorial board for 'The Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology’; he also maintains a research affiliation with the ‘Leiden Children’s Rights Observatory’ at Universiteit Leiden, the Netherlands, and ‘Border Criminologies’ at University of Oxford, UK. These affiliations underscore his commitment to scholarly inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration. His research focuses on immigration detention; the UNCRC; crimmigration and qualitative methods of analysis. He is particularly interested in criminology and international human rights law with special emphasis placed on children’s rights in the migration setting and detention processes in specific. His dedication to teaching and student engagement is further demonstrated by his attainment of Fellowship in the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), following the successful completion of a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP).
Since August 2024 Dr Ioannis Papadopoulos is serving as the Programme Lead for the BSc Criminology Programme within the Directorate of Social Sciences at the University of Salford, Manchester, UK. This role entails a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including overseeing the program's academic integrity and quality, ensuring that the curriculum is current and relevant, and coordinating with faculty members to enhance the program’s delivery. Additionally, he is involved in strategic planning and development, aiming to elevate the program’s standing and attractiveness to prospective students. His leadership involves close collaboration with colleagues, addressing student concerns, and continuously striving to create an engaging and intellectually stimulating environment for all involved in the Criminology program, both students and members of staff.
Specialisation in migration law, human rights law and criminology. Representation of clients in court, compilation of legal documents and management of cases, as well as direct communication with clients and update on the progress of their cases.
Providing legal counselling to migrant children which may consist of (but is not limited to) legal and rights information on: Criminal law, Family law, Domestic Violence, Migration law, etc. Providing legal representation which may deal with (but is not limited to): asylum cases of 1st and 2nd instance; criminal cases; child abuse; challenging long-term administrative detention cases; assessing the child’s best interest; developing and implementing an individual legal plan for each beneficiary that responds to the needs addressed.
Research addresses the issue of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) within domestic policy in the EU, with a particular emphasis added to the situation of Greece and the possible implications that arise regarding issues of juvenile justice, with respect to Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) and whether they can positively participate in decisions concerning their welfare in the criminal justice system.